Music-desk for pianos



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. P. BROWN. MUSIC DESK FOR PIANOS.

No. 468,077. Patented Feb. 2, 1,892.

v 5531 fitter/wet NORRIS? (NoiModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. P. BROWN.

-. MUSIC DESK FOR PIANOS.

Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

m I I I'll I lv btmowo a'nventof m. @Lo/Do/w 375mm,

$313 atta n w UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE P. BROWN, OF wORoEsTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MUSIC-DESK FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent N0. 468,077, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed August 27, 1891. Serial No. 4=03,872- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVorcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Desks for Pianos; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which, in connection with the drawings making a part of this specification, will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same.

My invention relates to mechanism for opening and closing the music-desk of an upright piano, and more particularly in combining with the music-desk and fall-board intervening mechanism whereby the opening and closing of the fall-board will Open and close the music-desk.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction and operation of the fall-board, music-desk, and intervening mechanism, as will be hereinafter fully described,

and the nature thereof indicated by the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a piano-case with my improvements applied thereto, and shown in the position they occupy when the musicdesk is closed and not in use; and Fig. 2 cor? responds with Fig. 1, except my improvements are shown in the position they occupy when the m usic-desk is open.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a portion of the case of an upright piano of any well-known construction.

2 is the fall-board, substantially L-shaped in cross-section and constructed and operated in the ordinary way, being hinged near its base at its rearpart and adapted to'be opened backward and to turn about ninety degrees on its hinge. The front portion 2' of the fallboard 2 is made separately from the rear portion and hinged thereto in theordinary way and is adapted to be raised and turned back on its hinge to rest on the back portion of the fall-board, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, before the fall-board is Opened to expose the keys 3, all in the ordinary way in upright pianos as usually constructed. When the portion 2' of the board is thus folded back, each portion of the board is of the same width,

on a pin 8 a lever 9.

whereby, when it is turned on its hinge, which is located substantially vertically beneath the front of the ledge 11 of the case, the space be tween the ledge and the keys will be closed by the upper or front portion of the board.

The music-desk t is adapted to swing out from the casing and is hung on a pin 5 in the side of the case, preferably by means of a block 6, secured to the back of the musicdesk near its upper part. The block 6 has a slot 7 therein, into which the pin 5 extends. It will be understood that there are two blocks 6, one on each side or end of the music-desk 4, and also two supporting-pins 5. The blocks 6 and supporting-pins 5 are so placed relatively to the music-desk 4 that when the music-desk is opened the upper part thereof will swing within the case and the lower part outside of the case, as shown in Fig. 2 Within the case, back of the fall-board 2, is pivoted The lever 9 is pivoted near its center and is preferably made in one part and of the shape shown in the drawings, with its upper end adapted to press and bear against the inner surface or rear side of the music-deskt at its lower part and its lower end adapted to extend into the path of the upper part of the fall-board 2,wl1en said fall-board is opened or tilted back on its hinge, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the lever is entirely disconnected from the fall-board and has its front portion inclined toward the board, so that when it is forced back by the upper portion of the board it swings downward until it is substantially on a horizontal line with l the hinge of the fall-board. This permits of the upper portion of the fall-board assuming a substantiallyhorizontal position between the hinge and the lower end of the lever, which looks thelever in its rear position and also prevents the pressure of a heavy book upon the rack from moving the leverand closing the fall-board over the keys.

The operation of the lever 9, in connection with the music-desk 4; and fall-board 2, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Then it is desired to open the musicdesk l to place the sheets of music thereon, the lower edge of the sheets preferably resting against the beading or projection 10 on the piano-case, it is only necessary to open the fall-board 2, for the opening of the fallboard will cause the upper end of the upper surface of the ledge 11 of the lever 0 to be pushed out, as shown in Fig. 2, and said lever will push the lower part of the music-desk out, and thus open the same and also hold it open. Vhen the music-desk 4 is opened, the upper part of the fall-board 2 will bear against the lower end of the lever 9 and hold said lever in position with its upper end holding the music-desk open, and the weight of the music-desk 4, resting against the upper end of the lever 9, will hold said lever firmly, thus preventing any jar or rattle when the piano is in use. WVhen the fall-board 2 is moved out of engagement with the lever 9 and closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the weight of the music-desk 4, resting against the upper end of the lever 9, will swing said lever on its pivot-pin 8 and cause it to return to its normal position. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

I am aware that prior to myinvention mu sic-desks of upright pianos have been operated by the opening and closing of the fallboard through intervening mechanism, and therefore I do not broadly claim the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a piano, the combination, with the case provided with a ledge, of a substantially L-shaped fall-board pivotally secured near its base within the case substantially below the front edge of the ledge, each arm orportion of theboard being adapted to pass under theledge and thereby close the space between the ledge and the keys when it is closed or open, a lever pivotally secured at the rear of the fallboard, with its lower end entirely disconnected from but in the path of and adapted to be engaged by the upper portion of the fall-board when the fall-board is opened, and

a music-desk in the front of the case adapted to be operated by the lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In a piano, the combination, with the case, of a substantially L-shaped fall-board pivotally secured therein near its base, the front portion of the board being hinged and adapted to be folded so as to pass under the ledge of the case and close the space between the ledge and the keys whether the fallboard be open or closed, a lever pivotally so cured at the rear of the board, the lower end of which is inclined and projects toward the board and is adapted to be engaged by and forced back by the upper portion of the fallboard, said upper portion of the board being in a straight line between the end of the lever and the hinge of the board, whereby the lever is locked in its rear position, and a music-desk in the front of the case adapted to be operated by the lever, substantially as set forth.

3. In a piano, the combination, with the case, the ledge of which is provided with a head at the front edge of its uppersurface, of a music-desk pivotally secured within the case, the upper portion of which is adapted to swing back into the case and thelower portion is adapted to swing out over the ledge and coact with the beaded ledge to form a support for the music, a lever pivotally secured within the case, the upper end of which is adapted to engage with and operate the desk, and a fall-board adapted to engage with the lower end of the lever, substantially as set forth.

THEODORE P. BRONVN.

Witn esses:

JOHN C. DEWEY, JOHN Pownns. 

